Sure, the Ontario PC’s new logo is stupid — but Brown and the rest of the party are the real problem

The Ontario Liberals' track record is so bad, it's as if God Himself put Queens Park on a platter and said to the PCs: "Here, take it."

Ontario is the most indebted sub-sovereign entity in the Western hemisphere. The Liberals are so racked with corruption that RCMP investigations are now a more common sight than Leonardo DiCaprio on Oscar night. It is not even worth mentioning that Ontarians pay the highest hydro bills in all of North America.

Yet, what are Patrick Brown's PCs doing? They're talking about logos and gay marriage, giving speeches referring to Martin Luther King and dancing to Bollywood music.

And if that’s not confusing or annoying enough, they are now talking about creating a carbon tax. Why?

In theory, the PCs don't even have to run an articulate campaign. All they have to do is throw some pretty boy who looks half intelligent up on the podium, and tell him, "Whatever Kathleen Wynne says, just promise you'll do the opposite." If Kathleen Wynne says we're going to save homeless kittens, the PCs counter that we are going to find those kittens and stab them with rusty scissors.

And the PCs would still win.

But no: The biggest unveil from this week’s conference was a logo. Not a fiscal policy, nor any hard hitting criticism of the Wynne government. No pandering to unemployed Ontarians (now approaching 7.1 percent). No, the PC's priority is a logo. An awkward logo that you cannot but help notice bears the message “CON in Ontario."

According to the three minute and thirty-eight second video they concocted about it (but have now mysteriously removed from Youtube) logos are the reason the PCs haven’t been winning against the Liberals all these years.

It’s not due to a lack of enthusiasm, or the promise to cut 100,000 public sector jobs in the last election, or Tim Hudak’s mole. No, it was an uninspiring logo.

The Party also insists that the logo's red, blue and green colours do NOT represent any caving in on policy, but are instead merely the colours in the Ontario provincial flag. That green leaf in the centre has NOTHING to do with Brown’s acknowledgement of “climate change” and his new policy on a carbon tax.

But speaking of that carbon tax, their new policy would NOT be like the Liberal’s cap-and trade stance anyhow. Instead, according to Brown, their policy would include a neutral revenue tax, where “polluters pay but…. return that in a dividend to taxpayers in broad-based tax relief.” So essentially it’s a tax on big businesses -- just like the Liberal’s policy, which hinders any incentive businesses may have to invest in Ontario.

Brown's most ironic statement was, “The way we have strayed from the wisdom of our grassroots has been painful, and it ends now.” Yet, did he mention any socially conservative policies? You know, even one that might appeal to the party's base? Did Brown pay any homage to the thousands of protesters who gathered outside Queen’s Park in opposition to the Liberal’s sex ed curriculum? Not at all.

And that's what’s baffling about these "new" PCs. What segment of society are they trying to appeal to? Brown said:

“It doesn’t matter who you love. It doesn’t matter if you belong to a union. It doesn’t matter how much you make. It doesn’t matter where you worship. You have a home in the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.”

But this is just nihilism.

Think about it: if your main prerogative in politics is the environment, and your dream is to one day take a selfie with David Suzuki; if you're a worker, and your only interest is to bring back those manufacturing jobs that promise $25/hour wage for screwing on a bolt; if you’re a new immigrant, and your prerogative is that your kids' public school serve only halal food -- would you vote for the PCs?

So why is the party trying to appeal to these groups while throwing their own base under the bus?

And every party's base matters. They're the people who knock on doors, put up signs, make phone calls, and drive voters to the polls.

Patrick Brown and the new PC party have taken their base for granted, and have said, in effect, “You don’t matter anymore.” Instead, their prerogative is nihilist rhetoric, whilst concentrating on trivial aspects of their aesthetic image.

Speaking of aesthetics, by the way:

Forget the party logo -- let’s look at the party leader. Patrick Brown is a 37-year-old unmarried man with no kids, creepy over-gelled hair, and whose voice sounds like he’s just reached puberty.

Do the PCs really think that this is the guy who can inspire middle aged men to vote for him?

What we’re witnessing now with the Ontario PCs is also occurring down south with the Republican Party: A castrated form of conservatism that is alienated from its base, whose party echelons are conceited and completely out of touch with the common people.

Comments

Ontario no longer has a viable conservative movement. Demographic change has seen to that, through immigration and the exodus of so many to Alberta.

Marek Wysocki commented
2016-03-15 08:25:21 -0400

Curt Shalapa: Yes. The Ontario PCs no longer represent enough of my views and positions to merit my support. I would support an Ontario version of the Wild Rose party, or perhaps the Libetarian Party. But whatever I do next election, it will not be to cast a ballot for the provincial PCs.

Andre Lauzon commented
2016-03-14 21:33:02 -0400

Yes, we have to get rid of Charlie Brown; I will not renew my membership nor support the PC in any way.

Jamie MacMaster commented
2016-03-10 07:37:52 -0500

“The next party, which is not popular at all, is the Ontario Libertarian Party (no Carbon Tax, no Cap-and-Trade). "

Yes, G.J.HAGENAARS, other than staying home, that’s the only option left.

But the Libertarian Party of Ontario better think about re-branding itself as the “Trillium Party, or the Ontario Party”. The word Libertarian doesn’t capture the interest of the press or the public- possibly because it conjures up images of old hippies who just want to grow their dope in peace.

However, I’ll make a point of attending the Pary’s next pub night in Ottawa.

William Thomas Moore commented
2016-03-09 20:53:49 -0500

This kind of church politics has no place in Ontario society, which only funds one school system which he was schooled in while discriminating in favour of all others. Brown belongs in his church fighting Canon law, the state being Canada should have no say in the affairs of his private place of worship. It is offensive to our country’s sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II to see this clown take a royal oath. I won’t be holding my breath anytime soon for defunding, and forming a single reformed school board let alone expect Patrick Brown to understand let alone read the briefing. As long as they have a GSA and a custom built Mosque inside the school is all that Brown should care about for Ontario’s future.

William Thomas Moore commented
2016-03-09 20:43:47 -0500

Not only does Patrick Brown want to keep you unemployed by changing the rules surrounding corporate donations, that Brown actually attended a big Islamic grassroots convention at Christmas 2015 (26th-28th) claiming the event was compatible with Christian values ironically called “Reviving the Islamic Spirit”. In my house we don’t take the tree down until Epiphany, and there was no tree on stage.

Brown is so much a pansy for @pontifex. Brown dabbles in this Progressive party among other prominent federal Conservatives such as Jason Kenney or John Baird, to protest his Roman Catholic church for not welcoming the sexuality of himself, adopting his biggest pet peeve agenda. Brown is seemingly fighting Rome and the LGBT community alongside Kellie Leach, Justin Van Dette and Kristyn Wong Tam. How these four are such an item is elusive to me.

To me this party has gone so far to the left it is unimaginable, it can hardly be distinguished from the NDP and is no longer conservative or Protestant. This political party cannot be viewed as a party that is welcoming to old stock Sir John A Macdonald Loyalists and Protestants like myself.

The Ontario PC party is no longer a serious contender to form a government, since it is neither loyal or friendly to Protestants. Alienating naturally. We are simply staying home and looking for your eventual demise to below twelve seats.

For the love of God, please bring back Mike Harris and John Snobelen and form a new Conservative Party of Ontario dropping the progressive liberal Catholics causing all the trouble in the first place. Loyal she began and loyal she remains is in deep jeopardy.

Curt Shalapata commented
2016-03-09 15:30:17 -0500

Brown is trying to turn the Ontario PC party into Liberal light. When I heard that he just endorsed a carbon tax I cancelled my membership. Time to start a new right of center party in Ontario. Anyone interested???

G.j. Hagenaars commented
2016-03-09 14:24:03 -0500

In Ontario we have the extremely popular Liberal Party (Cap-and-Trade carbon tax), the very popular PC Party (Carbon tax), the pretty popular NDP (both Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Tax), and the somewhat popular Green Party (both Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Tax).

The next party, which is not popular at all, is the Ontario Libertarian Party (no Carbon Tax, no Cap-and-Trade).

If anyone is truly interested in saying “no” to a carbon tax in any form, we welcome your support.

Until that time: enjoy your no-choices.

Jamie MacMaster commented
2016-03-09 13:02:21 -0500

“I guess we need out own Wild Rose Party”

Yup, but it ain’t going to happen. In the entire Ontario PC Party there isn’t more than 3 or 4 true conservatives. Randy Hillier and Monte McNaughton come to mind, and there may be one or two others…but that’s it. And face it, with 62.4 % of the popular vote gong to the Liberals and NDP, and the PCs garnering only 31.25 %, a right-wing party in Ontario is dead in the water.

So sit back and enjoy the show: the flush lever has been pushed beyond the point of no return and Ontario is swirling around and down in a vortex of its population’s making.

Today’s Sesame Street has been brought to you by the letter B: bullion, bunkers, bullets, bully-beef, bottled water, and beans.

Vicky Lee Villeneuve commented
2016-03-09 11:31:03 -0500

I voted Liberal or NDP all of my voting years. I consciously made the switch to Conservative values very recently and mostly due to Harper’s stand with the UN, terrorism and border controls. If this little twerp wants to appeal to liberal voters why not change his party politics and walk over to their camp. Now that this little twerp is heading up the conservative(small cap intentional), voting will be a serious challenge for me in the next election. Kick the little twerp out and give us someone with backbone. Too many wishy washy twerps as it is. No more twerps with political ambitions, it’s dangerous.

Michael Casselman commented
2016-03-09 07:46:17 -0500

Where were the real conservative voices at this convention? This ploy to become Liberal Lite will still not sway the votes of the entitled crowd in Toronto. Common sense conservative values, combined with a vision for the future, and avoiding the traps set by the opposition ( parties, unions, and media ), no boneheaded ideas of throwing tens of thousands of people out of work, or controversial school funding ideas. The campaign should start now, with a subtle but persistent message to build weariness with the Liberals. The Liberals have pushed trust in politicians to a new low, while somehow making others look worse than they are. In a 144 character world, people believe that ‘they all lie and cheat so whats in it for me’ is a reason for supporting a party, at least until someone prettier comes along.

Lance Humphries commented
2016-03-08 21:49:50 -0500

I guess we need out own Wild Rose Party

Lance Humphries commented
2016-03-08 21:49:14 -0500

Brian, the unfortunate irony is, only Lefty’s do those kind of things!!

Brian Cameron commented
2016-03-08 20:53:13 -0500

Fucking liberals do nothing but destroy everything they touch while lining there own pockets. Its disgusting and so are the ignorant fools that continue to support this corrupt immoral regime. The liberal party of Canada should be considered a criminal organization, its leadership arrested and imprisoned Trudope and Wynne executed publicly and the party outlawed! Problem solved.